Fiance was 'controlling and jealous', court told

Stephanie Gardiner -Jan 17, 2013

Simon Gittany is accused of murdering his fiancee by throwing her off a high-rise balcony. Photo: Edwina Pickles

Simon Gittany was "controlling" and "jealous" of his fiancee and became so enraged when she tried to leave him that he dropped her from the balcony of their 15th-storey apartment, a court has been told.

Mr Gittany, 39, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his fiancee, 30-year-old Canadian Lisa Cecilia Harnum, by causing her to fall from their rented luxury apartment in The Hyde building on Liverpool Street on July 30, 2011.

During final submissions at his committal hearing on Thursday, prosecutor Daniel Noll said there was a lot of evidence that Mr Gittany had a controlling nature.

Mr Noll said the couple argued that morning because Ms Harnum had decided to leave him.

"The accused was very controlling and jealous and domineering to the deceased.

"This type of behaviour appeared to escalate around [Ms Harnum's] time of death.

On the morning of her death, the intensity of their arguing heightened to a point where she was heard screaming and knocking on a neighbour's door, Mr Noll said.

"[Mr Gittany was] enraged by the actions of the deceased in attempting to leave him and the accused carried ... her to the balcony and dropped her from the 15th floor."

Mr Noll said Ms Harnum's mother, friends and her personal trainer, Lisa Brown, all gave evidence which showed she did not have suicidal intentions.

Mr Gittany's barrister, Anthony Bellanto, QC, said the couple had argued the night before about Ms Harnum going to visit her mother in Canada.

In the morning, Mr Gittany told police he tried to make things better and they began to argue again, Mr Bellanto said.

"He concedes candidly that she told him she was leaving and she grabbed her handbag, went to leave through the front door and he stopped her."

Mr Bellanto said Mr Gittany told police she then raised her voice and tried to get the neighbours' attention.

Mr Bellanto said Mr Gittany told police: "I yelled back 'shut the f--- up'. I was in the kitchen and I saw her run past to the balcony. I remember thinking 'what's on the balcony?' . I saw her step over the railing onto the little cliff face. I was just grabbing her. I might have had her handbag or jacket and then she was gone."

In a text message Mr Gittany wrote to Ms Harnum's mother after the fall, he said he could do nothing to save her and expressed his sympathy.

"My life has also ended, as she was my life," he wrote.

Magistrate Clare Farnan said she expected to make her decision on Friday about whether to commit Mr Gittany for trial.